Topic: Incorrect Rainfall Numbers on WeatherLink Bulletin Web Page

[Chuck Darney]

I use a Davis VP2 Serial with a serial->USB cable to a Meteobridge device.  This pushes data to various weather networks including WeatherLink.com.  I do not use WeatherLink hardware or software and access Bulletin via my browser.

I've only used WeatherLink for a few months and never noticed that the Day, Storm and Monthly Rainfall numbers are different from my console.  For example, my console shows Daily rainfall at .09 inches, Storm rainfall as .75 inches and Monthly rainfall as 6.4 inches.  Bulletin shows the Daily at .07 inches, Storm at .59 inches and Monthly at 5.04 inches.  I suspect the Annual rainfall is incorrect as well but I only started using WeatherLink in March or April so I expect that number to be "wrong".

I report the same data from my VP2 console to various other weather networks via Meteobridge.  All of the other sites (WeatherUnderground, Awekas, CWOP, PWS, etc.) show the correct numbers.  Additionally, I have an Ambient Weather WS-5000 that validates my VP2 console and other weather reporting sites.

The only site I have a problem with is WeatherLink.com and the reporting via the web-based Bulletin.  I spent an hour or so with Davis support who had no idea why the numbers from Bulletin differed from my VP2 console.  He pretty much said that wasn't possible.  Well...I know that's not true.  He was interested in why my data archive records updated every 1 minute when he said it should be 5 or 10 minutes.

Any suggestions what could be causing the reporting problem?

...Chuck

[Vasco]

Have you looked here?

[Mattk]

See comments to same query on MeteoBridge forum regard imperial/metric tipper configuration 

[Vasco]

See comments to same query on MeteoBridge forum regard imperial/metric tipper configuration 

Ah! The ratio of your console over Bulletin readings is 1.27, which is the same as the ratio of the Davis imperial tip to the Davis metric tip: imperial 0.01" = 0.254 mm compared to metric 0.2 mm.

No idea why it's reported wrongly. . . 

[gvmelbrty]

I and many others have the same issue .. as discussed in this thread from last year: https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=39353.0

[Chuck Darney]

Indeed!  This is exactly what's going on with me!  Has there been any resolution found?

I think it's definitely a problem with the Meteobridge.  Since I send to various weather networks and all seem fine except Weatherlink.com, I would think it has to do with the weather network selected in Meteobridge.  What gets done when WL Cloud is selected?  Is there any "massaging" of data that's sent to WeatherLink?  If so, perhaps that's where the problem might lie?

[Gyvate]

What you could do as a workaround is figure out what posting string is used by MB to post to Weatherlink (or what weatherlink.com expects), deactivate the posting in the weather network section of MB and create a posting string of your own and send it via Service/events as a http request to weatherlink.com - and in this string you can apply the needed correction via a formula (see MB template language) for the rainfall.
Once it works properly post your string in http://forum.meteohub.de and ask the developer (@admin) to correct his string.

[Mattk]

All this talk about changing strings etc etc is very assumptive, like what would then happen to the many systems that work fine? Some appear to be attacking this from the wrong end, lets work through each progressive possibly. 

[Gyvate]

All this talk about changing strings etc etc is very assumptive, like what would then happen to the many systems that work fine? Some appear to be attacking this from the wrong end, lets work through each progressive possibly.

Looks like you like to generalize ....
"All ..." - I have at least two real-world cases where the inbuilt MB weather network strings were wrong and one is still wrong. Nothing to be discussed about !! You cannot change facts by such generalizing statements !
And - the approach of using personal, customized strings in a http request is safe for everybody - nobody else will be impacted.
Nothing would happen to the many other systems ... Saying that "what would then happen to the many systems that work fine" is building up a scare-crow scenario which doesn't meet reality.
So what's wrong then with this approach ?? - This approach has helped quite a few MB users who otherwise would still be waiting for a solution of their use case.
Especially - as the postings to the other networks based on the same data of the OPer are correct as they OPer states, such an assumption is quite justified.

And if Boris doesn't want or doesn't see the need to change the inbuilt weatherlink.com post - also fine. The customized solution would then still work for the OPer.

If you want to go down another road, feel free to do so. I just offered a working approach. The OPer is also free to adopt it or not.

[Chuck Darney]

I don't think I have the technical ability to find out what the string being sent to WeatherLink is much less the ability to modify it to my liking, get irt working properly then send it to the MB developer (I assume this is the 'Boris' being mentioned).  It just seems to me that the information sent from the MB to WeatherLink is not correct. I understand that other systems work fine but do they sent info to WeatherLink which is a Davis 'product'.  Actually, if it weren't for the Air Quality Index device I got from them that requires using WeatherLink, I wouldn't even bother  As it is, I'll just ignore the rainfall numbers and focus on the AQI and other readings that seem to be good.  With two weather stations and multiple weather networks getting my data, I have plenty of ways to get good daily/storm/monthly displays.

[Mattk]

.... I understand that other systems work fine but do they sent info to WeatherLink which is a Davis 'product'....

Most definitely and have been doing so for quite some years and from previous discussions on this same/similar issue have done some reverse engineering/configuration changes to duplicate what you are seeing but in reverse. I assume you have read through this thread https://www.wxforum.net/index.php?topic=39353.0

I think I previously mentioned would like to see screen shots (if available) of the MB Pages/tabs

Station - Primary Station
Station - Settings
Systems - Administration
Live Data - Min/Max Data 
 

[davidmc36]

Have been following and now my interest is peaked.

My WL goes direct from a Meteo Pi Ethernet.

Will there be any interesting data?

[Chuck Darney]

"I assume you have read through this thread"

Yes I have.  It seems to confirm that my issues are not unique and that no one has been able to find a solution or a reason.  I think most, if not all, agree that Meteobridge is the culprit.  Now the question would be "Who has the where-with-all to find out what the problem is with Meteobridge?"  It seems there is enough information from several people to at least point someone in the right direction to fix the problem.

[Mattk]

Obviously some prefer just to talk and really have no interest in solving whatever their problem is or where it might be. If there is no intention or interest in providing requested information then fine, your call but it does sound like some are being selective in what they want to think?

As I have mentioned before, I can and I have reverse engineered this issue but obviously some would rather just talk and if that proves anything then all good with me.       

[Chuck Darney]

"Obviously some prefer just to talk and really have no interest in solving whatever their problem is or where it might be. If there is no intention or interest in providing requested information then fine, your call but it does sound like some are being selective in what they want to think?"

Selective perhaps.  I do not have the technical expertise to reverse engineer MB so that it does what I want.  I have no problem paying for something (€65.00 EUR in 2018) but I expect some level of support for my payment.  In order for me to do what you've done I would have to pay someone to do it. I don't like paying twice for a service and don't think I should have to.  Wouldn't you agree?

[Mattk]

.... Selective perhaps.  I do not have the technical expertise to reverse engineer MB so that it does what I want.....

What that is saying is that I can change the calibration/configuration of perfectly working systems to effectively show what you are seeing, something that is not working properly.

.... I have no problem paying for something (€65.00 EUR in 2018) but I expect some level of support for my payment.  In order for me to do what you've done I would have to pay someone to do it. I don't like paying twice for a service and don't think I should have to.  Wouldn't you agree?

So far you have knocked back all attempts to try and help you with your issue, and you pay nothing, talking, whinging and continuing with excuses won't solve your issue. Lets see the info requested, what have you got to hide?

Why do you think it is that I have multiple systems, Consoles plus Envoy/WLIP's, Vue/Nano's & MB's running side by side from the same ISS's uploading to WeatherLink.com, downloading to WeatherLinkPC, uploading to Wow and don't have an issue? Why do you think this is?

[Chuck Darney]

I don't mean to act as though I don't value your suggestions but re-engineering MB to try and fix this issue is something I'm not capable of.  I still have a problem with several other weather networks receiving the data through my MB.  All seem correct except WeatherLink.com.  I can also verify the numbers are pretty much correct since I also have an Ambient WS-5000 that uses its own network.

My apologies for missing your request for information. 

"I think I previously mentioned would like to see screen shots (if available) of the MB Pages/tabs

Station - Primary Station
Station - Settings
Systems - Administration
Live Data - Min/Max Data"

[Mattk]

Oh no not re-engineering to fix the problem, just indicating one can duplicate the problem.

Ok thanks for the screen shots. Just to confirm you mentioned this was a TL-MR3020, correct?

Rainfall showing on the Min/Max page, does that agree with WeatherLink.com or not?
Can't see anything unusual in those screen shots.

Could you also throw up a shot of the Primary Station>Davis Station Setup>Configure console interval, rain collector, wind cup, date and time format 
 
 

[Chuck Darney]

"Ok thanks for the screen shots. Just to confirm you mentioned this was a TL-MR3020, correct?"
Correct.  It's a TL-MR3020

"Rainfall showing on the Min/Max page, does that agree with WeatherLink.com or not?"
The Min/Max on the MB shows 1.78" for the month.  On the WeatherLink Bulletin the Monthly Total is 1.4".  Yearly totals I expect to be off since I only started using WeatherLink earlier this year while I've been using MB for 4+years and reporting other weather data for the last 14 years or so.

"Could you also throw up a shot of the Primary Station>Davis Station Setup>Configure console interval, rain collector, wind cup, date and time format"
Attached

[Mattk]

Nah, don't see anything in that screen shot either.

Monthly rain 1.78" v 1.4" shows again the perfect match/consistency factor of 127 between an imperial & Metric tipper, the same factor as 0.01" 0.254/0.2 ????
Console monthly rain display is 1.78", correct?

What of the rain gauge and Console setting? Are they confirmed as being an imperial set tipper & Rain Collector 0.01"? (as displayed in the ribbon along the bottom of the console). 

[Chuck Darney]

Yep.  Console is .01" and Imperial.

[Mattk]

Ok WeatherLink.com is receiving the correct number of rain clicks being 178 for the 1.78", then being factored by 0.2mm (??) giving 35.6mm which is 1.4". If you go into Unit Measurement and temporally change the Rain & ET from in to mm, click Save and go back to the Dashboard, the rainfall will be in mm and your monthly figure will be 35.6mm

The imperial rain ticks are all good right through to WeatherLink.com and even correct in WeatherLink.com, it's the conversion from that point on.         

[Chuck Darney]

I'm not sure how you can infer that the rain ticks are good all of the way through WeatherLink.com and that the problem is a conversion after that. My VP2 Console shows 1.78" for the month.  My WeatherLink.com Bulletin shows 1.40".  The only thing between those two displays is Meteobridge.  I would say that the rain ticks stop being good after the VP2 console and before the WeatherLink.com Bulletin display.

I changed the units as you suggested and got exactly what you said would happen but I fail to see what that proved.  It just showed that 1.4" as displayed on the WeatherLink.com Bulletin (and which is .38" less than my VP2 Console) converts to 35.6mm as it should.  I could do the same conversion with any calculator.  I haven't done it but I would say if I changed my VP2 Console to display metric, the monthly rain would be 45.2mm, which is still higher than the 35.6mm shown on the WeatherLink.com Bulletin.  Again, this would suggest to me that the information is being sent improperly.

Is there something I'm not seeing?

[Mattk]

....Is there something I'm not seeing?....

Yeah the same thing I can't see but what your screen shots did was point to there being another factor in WL Cloud? What I do see is the rainfall is correct through to the MB, the rain tick value is good all the way through to WeatherLink.com and the Unit Measurements settings in WeatherLink.com are only a simple conversion between imperial and metric and not a rain tick factor. Will need to see what Boris comes up with on this one now.